The Type Trainer Tournament
by Arcanewriter17
Summary: Board the Dragonair of the Seas cruise ship and join six trainers as they compete in the Type Trainer Tournament for a chance to become Gym Leaders. Each trainer competes with only one type of Pokémon and every one has their own hidden motivations. Who will win in this clash of trainers, Pokémon, dreams and desires?
1. High Tides of a New Beginning

**Hello, everyone! I'm not a big fan of beginning a chapter with an author's note, but there are just a few things I have to point out before you begin reading. First of all, this story will be changing its viewpoint character in every chapter. The first chapter will be seen through the eyes of Aiden, our main character, but chapter two will take place in the eyes of a second character. That way, hopefully, you'll get in the minds of our six main competitors. Second, Pokémon obviously doesn't belong to me. It belongs to its respective owner. And third, enjoy the story!**

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Chapter 1: High Tides of a New Beginning

Aiden Flamel

The cruise horn blasted as Aiden and Umber raced toward the ship. The sound resounded in Aiden's ear, announcing that soon it will depart. He could see the dock a few yards away and he sprinted with all his might. Umber ran close behind.

"Almost there," Aiden said. The sea wind tugged on his clothes and sprinkled his face with salty water drops. He julted forward. In the hood of his hoodie a small red pokemon sat, clutching on to his golden hair. Aiden could hear his magby whimper behind him, but they were late and he had to beat Umber. "You're falling behind."

He looked back and found Umber close on his tail with a wide grin on his face and earphones screwed into his head. Trailing behind him was another small pokemon, a gray and black puppy. Umber's poochyena fought to keep up. The three ran side-by-side, each putting a foot before the other until falling back again.

They passed sailors and their pokemon on the Cruise Dock. The ship blocked the sun above them, like the buildings of Castelia City behind them, and Aiden glanced at it for the first time. Painted on its side was a dragonair flying around a large pokeball with dratinis swimming around it. Beneath the symbol, the line to enter the cruise had already ended and the Admission Lady was climbing the ramp to the ship when Umber called out to her.

"Wait!"

She looked back in time to see three flashes of light fly around her. She yelled in surprise.

"Sorry," Aiden said, panting. He nudged Umber. "Beat you. Just in time."

"No. You didn't," wheezed Umber. "I won. By a second."

Both bended over with their hands on their knees. Drops of sweat fell around them. Poochyena strut around them, growling happily, believing s_he _had won. Magby held Aiden's hair like reins, glowing like a knight on his steed.

"I would appreciate it," said the lady, a pretty woman with blond hair tied into a bun over her head. "If you would race on another pier. Thank you and good day." She turned and continued her way up the ramp.

"Wait. Wait!" Aiden took two tickets from his pocket and raised them before her. "We're here for the Type Trainer Tournament. We're competing!"

The lady kept walking. "Follow me," she said bitterly. Together they entered the ship while the ramp rose and closed behind them. "If you were regular guests we would not have accepted your disregard of timing, just so you know." She led them hastily up a set of stairs where the final guests in the line were checking in. Aiden and Umber had to sprint to keep up with her. "Luckily for you two, competitors get a priority."

They reached a large door that led into the main floor, or "headquarters" as Aiden heard the lady call it. The room was circular, with a floor large enough to sit every guest in the ship and a roof thirteen stories high. Aiden looked up and saw guest room doors on each floor above him, with bridges connecting floors and the occasional lights from restaurants and stores. A flock of swablus had been released in the room; they sang and swooped around as the three made their way toward a reception desk beneath a pair of stairs in the center of the room.

"Sarah, I've got the last competitors for the tournament here," the lady said to the receptionist behind the desk, a young woman with long brown hair and red glasses adorning her face. "See to them. I'm needed on the main deck for the ceremony." She turned to Aiden and Umber. "Have a nice stay and good luck."

She turned and left. Aiden, Umber, Sarah, Magby and Poochyena stared as she entered an elevator, until the doors closed on her stern face. Aiden took Magby out of his hood and took him in his arms.

"Regine is not easy," Sarah said, typing on one of the computers. "But we couldn't function without her. Welcome to the Dragonair of the Seas. Names, please?

"Aiden Flamel."

"Umbriel Nox," Umber leaned over the counter. He still had his earplugs plugged in, like always, Aiden thought. "But call me Umber."

A swablu flew down and began to peck Umber on the head. He flailed his arms over his head and Poochyena barked and growled. Sarah giggled as the swablu settled on her shoulder. She stroked the bird as she handed them their room keys and name tags with their names written on them.

"Smooth," Aiden whispered to Umber, mockingly.

"Your room is 11-05, on the twelfth floor," she told Aiden as he taped his tag to his chest. "And yours is 10-14. Good luck finding it," she said to Umber, a bit harsh. Aiden knew Umber wanted to say something back, but he stopped when he saw the swablu raise its beak, so he just put his name tag on in silence with a grin glued onto his face. "Your things are already in your rooms. Now, please proceed to the main deck on the seventh floor for the tournament's Opening Ceremony. Good day and I hope you enjoy your stay in the Dragonair of the Seas."

Aiden and Umber left with final thanks and laughs. They took the elevator that Regine had entered and it took them up to the main deck.

Music was blasting in the air. Kirlias, bellossoms and roselias were dancing gracefully around tables scattered on the deck. The tables were filled with guests, and their pokemon, who were all gazing at a battlefield and at a giant screen raised over it. Two pokemon clashed on the screen and the guests roared with applause and shouts. Aiden's jaw fell when he saw the trainers of the pokemon.

On separate sides of the field, shouting commands and looking dazzling, were Cynthia and Iris, the champions of the Sinnoh and Unova regions, respectively. Cynthia's Garchomp was striking Iris's Haxorus with a Dragon Rush at that moment. The impact sounded like two iron bars clashing together. Haxorus turned and sent Garchomp away with a strong Dragon Tail. Aiden saw the blond champion, who wore a long black dress that looked darker beneath her bright hair, bite her lip and shout more commands. Iris, wearing a loose violet dress that fell to the floor, shouted back; the two dragons clashed as the crowd roared, swablus flew with wingulls, and pokemon danced to the music. The scene, Aiden thought, was breathtaking.

They quickly found two seats and joined the cheering. The battle ended a few minutes later in a tie. Garchomp and Haxorus had tackled each other with two solid Giga Impacts and, after a cloud of dust lifted, both were found sprawled on the ground, defeated. The crowd screamed louder than ever until a man entered the field, a gardevoir at his side, asking for silence to begin the Opening Ceremony. He was short, had slick hair painted purple and wore a snazzy suit.

When the crowd settled, and Aiden and Umber had taken their seats again, Aiden looked at the others seated with him. He glanced at them quickly, then paused on one. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw her. She was gorgeous. She looked his age, sixteen, with light-brown skin, same colored hair that flew in the wind, and a nose covered with beautiful freckles. Her large green eyes glittered as the sun shone on her. Her name tag read Ambrosia Landlyn. A cubone sat on her lap, playing with the bone in its hand.

"Wow," Aiden whispered. He felt butterflies dancing in his stomach, and his cheeks tingled. He couldn't stop staring at her, she took his breath away. Magby began to rustle in his lap, and suddenly Aiden felt his hand burn. He whelped and jumped off his seat, sending Magby flying on the table and causing a group of dancing bellossoms to stumble. Magby had snapped Aiden out of his trance by using Fire Spin on him. The whole table, and a few others around him, locked their eyes on Aiden.

"Smooth," Umber said, noticing the scene. He took Poochyena, who was circling a dancing and scared kirlia, and put him on his lap. Aiden sat down, lowered his head, and wished for a distraction. He nearly jumped again when the speaker began to talk.

"Hello, hello, hello, hello!" He shouted. The gardevoir beside him waved and bowed. "Welcome to the Opening Ceremony of the Type Trainer Tournament!" The crowd cheered. "I'm Uruvio Tornio and I'm the official tournament announcer and one of the many judges who shall accompany all of you on your journey to win the tournament and become Gym Leaders!

"But, before we begin, I have to tell you the most important rules of the tournament. The first one you've all already taken care of: you can only enter the tournament with a single, non-evolved, single-typed pokemon, with the obvious exception of Flying-types. But that was done when you all checked-in. Second, no fighting, physical or pokemon related, is allowed to take place between contestants. In the case of pokemon battles, they must be regulated by tournament officials or be held in the cruise's spectacular gym.

"Third rule, no pokemon is to be caught on deck, no exceptions. The cruise pokemon are owned by the staff of the ship and are off limits. The tournament will take us to special islands where you will be permitted to catch pokemon of your chosen type. Last, and certainly not least, is the obedience of the tournament's curfew. Every trainer competing is expected to be in their rooms by ten. Anyone caught breaking any of these rules will be disqualified immediately."

Silence fell over the audience for a moment. Aiden glanced over the table, and was thrilled to see that the girl wasn't staring back. _Maybe she hadn't noticed_, he hoped. Magby made his way back into his lap.

"Now," Uruvio continued. "To begin the event, we will ask two contestants from the audience to come to the field and show us what we can expect in this tournament. If you all will look at the screen. Let's see who shall battle first."

The camera had been set on Uruvio, but now it began to move and search through the crowd. A spotlight followed the camera. People gave nervous looks as they saw their faces pass on the screen. Eventually the camera came to a spot where two trainers were seated alone, a couple who had been leaning on each other. The camera zoomed in on the guy, a boy with snow-white hair who stood immediately. For a second, Aiden thought he saw the boy's eyes flash red on the screen, but when he looked again, they were a clear blue.

The camera followed him as he made his way to the battlefield. When he reached Uruvio, the camera returned to its search. Aiden watched as faces came and went on screen, until the camera stopped and he saw his staring back at him.

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**Author's Note: **

**First chapter: done! Looks like we'll be seeing a battle soon. Hope you all liked the first chapter, and if you did, review, please. Remember, likes/dislikes, suggestions, tips, etc. will be greatly appreciated. It's my first story so help me make it better. Thank you all for reading. See you all soon, and I promise more chapters will come!**


	2. Heated Moments

Chapter 2: Heated Moments

Ambrosia Landlyn

Ambrosia sighed in relief when the spotlight stopped only a few feet away from her. The thought of having to battle so soon frightened her. Tournament rules say that a loss in a battle appointed by a tournament official means having to leave the tournament. Luckily, she thought, the camera chose a boy near her instead.

The boy had golden hair that looked as if wind had pushed it in every direction. He wore a bright blue hoodie, even though the weather was warm. Ambrosia thought he was clumsy, since minutes before he was chosen he had stood up too fast to get his pokemon off his lap. The poor thing landed on the table with a thud, nearly knocking down her drink. Plus, he had been staring at her…

When he was chosen, he seemed stunned. He rose, slowly this time, and made his way to the battlefield, where the tournament announcer, Uruvio Tornio, stood with the other chosen contestant.

"Welcome, trainers!" the announcer said. His gardevoir went up to the two battlers and held their hands. "Tell us your names, the type you've chosen and where you're from."

He put a microphone to the first chosen trainer's mouth. He seemed more menacing than the weird boy that sat in her table. He had hair that was strangely white, and a sharp nose that reminded Ambrosia of a beak. His eyes were a cold blue that turned red when the lights hit them. "Drakon Volans. Dragon-type. Opelucid City."

Short and to the point, Ambrosia thought. Uruvio welcomed him and gave the other boy his microphone. He held his magby in his arms. Ambrosia clenched her Cubone tighly, also.

"My name's Aiden. Aiden Flamel. I use Fire-types and I'm from Ecruteak City in Johto."

"Well, you're far from home, Aiden," Uruvio said. "We welcome you to Unova. Now, if you would, please, both of you follow these kirlias to your appointed side of the battlefield."

Two kirlias sprinted and twirled their way to the contestants gracefully. Gardevoir handed them the trainers and they took them to their respective sides. The music stopped, the dancing pokemon paused and the singing swablus and wingulls subsided. The battle was about to begin.

_Fire-types aren't affective against Dragon-types, and Drakon looks like a stronger trainer than Aiden_, Ambrosia thought. _Let's see who wins._

Drakon took a pokeball out of his pocket and threw it. Out came, in a bright flash of red light, a small pokemon, clearly a Dragon-type, but Ambrosia didn't know what pokemon it was. It was blue, about the same height as Magby and appeared to have solid, white hair. Aiden's magby leaped out of his arms and took his place on the battlefield.

"Drakon has sent out Bagon as his pokemon," Uruvio said, taking the role of referee. "And Aiden has chosen his Magby. Before we begin, I'd like to announce the judges of this battle. You love them, you fear them, you've seen the strength of their pokemon, now please give them a round of applause. Cynthia and Iris!"

Ambrosia cheered with the crowd as the two champions acknowledged them. They both seated beneath the large screen, at the border of the battlefield in the middle. Ambrosia knew the battles were going to be judged by Gym Leaders from every region, but she never expected champions. She couldn't imagine how nervous the battlers must feel. Though, if Drakon was nervous, he hid it well.

"Now," Uruvio said. He waved a green flag with the cruise's symbol on it. "Begin!"

The effect was immediate. Drakon commanded his Bagon to use Headbutt, and the pokemon flew forward. The magby dodged the impact, but just barely. He commanded another Headbutt, and again magby dodged. This time Drakon commanded a Dragonbreath. The dragon released a green jet of air that hit Magby head on. The Fire-type fell a few feet back. The crowd roared for the dragon trainer.

"Magby!" Aiden shouted. Drakon ordered another Headbutt and the small dragon jolted forward. "Flame Burst, quick!"

Magby let loose a ball of fire that flew to Bagon. The hit surprised the dragon, and it stopped in its tracks, though hardly scratched. Flames burned around it.

"Good, now use Fire Spin!" Aiden commanded. Again Magby released fire, this time a whirlpool. The flames engulfed Bagon, trapping it. Aiden jumped happily, but Drakon didn't look worried. He was perfectly calm.

"Bagon, Bite."

The dragon ran out of the flames as easily as if they were rain on a sunny day. It clenched onto Magby with steel jaws. The fire pokemon whelped in pain. Ambrosia heard Cubone also give a shout. The screen zoomed on Aiden, who was baring his teeth.

"Magby, use Faint Attack, then Smokescreen."

Magby gave a sharp turn and hit Bagon with his body. The dragon fell a few feet away, head first. Then a cloud of black smoke covered the field and the two pokemon. It took a moment for the crowd to realize that the smoke was coming from Magby.

Ambrosia glanced at Drakon. He furrowed his brow, and his eyes turned red, making him look more menacing than before.

"Faint Attack! Like we've practiced, Magby." Aiden got his confidence back, Ambrosia noticed. He looked more determined, and the crowd realized it, too. They applauded and shouted for him.

Magby entered the cloud of smoke and disappeared from view. The sound of pokemon clashing filled the deck, but Ambrosia couldn't see what was really happening. No trainer gave any orders, but the pokemon could be heard grunting.

"Bagon, use Ember!" Drakon shouted, losing his temper. "Get out of there!"

A bright jet of fire illuminated the field, and for a second the two pokemon were visible, until Magby let out more smoke. Again Bagon used Ember and again Magby used Smokescreen. Then, as a flame cleared the field once more, Magby was visible and jolting quickly toward the smoke. Just before he reached it, Bagon flew out and the two pokemon clashed in a dual impact of Headbutt and Faint Attack.

The two pokemon fell out of the smoke and landed on the ground with a bone-cracking thud in front of their trainers. Bruises and scratches covered them. At first the two appeared to have fainted, but then they trembled. The pokemon tried to stand, but their own weight was too much.

"Come on, Magby! You can do it, I know you can!" Aiden said through gritted teeth.

"Get up, Bagon! Now! _Surgere, draco_!" Drakon shouted at his pokemon. Ambrosia didn't know what language he was speaking, but it sounded like a witch's curse to her. Bagon stirred on the ground, but he didn't rise. Ambrosia found herself cheering for the dragon, hoping it would get up. Cubone stood on the tip of his toes.

The crowd held their breath as the two pokemon tried to stand. Then Ambrosia heard cheers and the screen was covered before her by jumping and shouting guests. When Ambrosia stood to see who won, she found Magby panting and huffing, but standing over Bagon.

"We have a winner!" Uruvio announced, waving the flag toward Aiden's side. "Aiden Flamel!"

The crowd roared and Aiden beamed over them. Magby ran toward his trainer. Aiden sank to the ground to embrace him. Drakon simply returned Bagon to his pokeball and muttered in the witch language. Whether words of praise or scorn, Ambrosia did not know.

"Excellently fought!" Uruvio said, walking toward Aiden. "How about another round of applause for Aiden? And another for Drakon, who helped give us this _heated_ battle! Come here, Drakon."

Drakon made his way through the battlefield, looking at no one but Aiden. When he reached the two, Uruvio held both their hands and lifted Aiden's. The crowd cheered. Cynthia and Iris stood and clapped.

"We congratulate you, Aiden. For winning the first battle, you will be moved to the Leader's Suite. It's on the top floor, has a beautiful view, and will be given to the trainer that holds first place overall during the tournament. And to you, Drakon, we also have a surprise. In the spirit of the Opening Ceremony and considering that the tournament doesn't officially begin until the ship leaves port, this loss won't count as a tournament loss. You're still in!"

That came as a surprise to everyone. Ambrosia was certain he was out.

"Now," Uruvio continued. "Let the Opening Ceremony begin!"

Music blasted again, pokemon returned to their dances and waiters brought food. The crowd flooded the field to reach Aiden, shoving Drakon aside. Ambrosia watched as he stormed out and disappeared from sight.

More pokemon and people filled the deck, and Ambrosia felt that it got too crowded. She took Cubone, who had been banging his bone on the table, in tune with the music, and went to the railings to have a final glimpse of Castelia City. The tall buildings reminded her of the Pokemon Tower, back at her home in Lavender Town, and her little sister. She was about to return to the ceremony when a black dog began to bark at her.

Ambrosia picked Cubone up and shushed the dog, but it wouldn't leave. It growled at them menacingly. Then a trainer called out to the pokemon. From the crowd, a tall, black-haired boy appeared. He had two duskull figures in his ears. When Ambrosia looked closer and saw wires coming out of them, she realized they were earphones.

"Poochyena!" he said, picking the dog up. "Got you! I'm so sorry. She must've liked your cubone's bone."

"Don't worry," Ambrosia said. He recognized the trainer as the boy who sat with Aiden. His name tag had Umbriel Nox written on it. "Um, Umbriel. No harm done." She put Cubone down. He began to wave his bone and Poochyena followed it intently.

"Call me Umber," he said. "Hey, you sat at my table, right?"

She nodded. "I saw your friend battle." She didn't know what else to say. "He did well. He's not with you, is he?"

Umber looked at the crowd and shook his head. "Nah, he's celebrating his victory."

They both stood there, looking at the crowd. Then the cruise horn blasted and it broke the silence. Ambrosia and Umber both moved to the railing and gazed at the buildings. Umber's hand touched Ambrosia's, and she moved it away quickly. They looked at each other.

"Looks like Poochyena really likes your cubone," Umber said, looking away. The two pokemon were laughing as they spinned the bone on the floor. Ambrosia smiled.

The horn blasted one more time.

"Hey," Umber looked into her eyes again. "I saw a restaurant earlier. I think it sells pokemon food. Would you like to go there, tonight? For Cubone's sake?"

Ambrosia's cheeks tingled and she knew she was blushing. She had never been asked out before. Lavender Town was too serious for that. She was thinking of refusing, when she saw Cubone and the fun he was having with Poochyena.

"I'd love to," she said, waving a brown lock of hair out of her face. "For Cubone's sake."

Umber smiled, said "Great, see you at eight," and returned to the crowd before she could say if she could even make it. Poochyena ran off behind him.

The cruise horn blasted again. This time the cruise trembled. Ambrosia glimpsed at the buildings once more, but they were moving away. Slowly, but surely, they were making their way out to sea. Now the tournament officially begins.

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**Author's note:**

**Now you've met four of the six main contestants! Already, drama is beginning to settle in. How will the other contestants react to Aiden's victory? What will happen with Ambrosia and Umber? Who is this Drakon character? Keep reading to find out! Next chapter, the last two characters will be introduced! We have a new viewpoint character also!**

**Again, I'm eager to better my writing, so please review with any comments, likes/dislikes, tips, etc. See you all next time!**


	3. Threats Onboard

**I just want to thank the reviewer who mentioned the mistake where I spelled 'Aiden' as 'Eden' a few times. It was revised and I corrected the chapters so I think I took care of it. 'Eden' was actually going to be his name in earlier drafts, but after a while I changed it to 'Aiden.' Guess I overlook two or three. Don't worry, hopefully it won't happen again in later chapters. Again, thanks!**

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Chapter 3: Threats Onboard

Elysia Heart

The elevator door nearly snapped shut on Elysia's hand. It stopped inches away and opened for her. She had been following her boyfriend, who had just lost his first battle against a _ridiculous_ trainer. It had been an unfair loss, though. Drakon was clearly the stronger trainer and had battled better than that cheating, smoke-loving, Fire-type trainer.

Drakon had stormed off the field and headed directly to the elevators. The Opening Ceremony had just begun and the ship had just left port, but Elysia had to comfort him.

"Leave, Ely," he said, voice cold and distant. He stood in the center of the elevator with arms crossed. The elevator lights made his gorgeous blue eyes turn blood red. Ely slid through the doors, went to his side and wrapped her arms around his. The elevator began to rise.

"You know you were better," she told him. "He got lucky, that's all. Come on, Drakon, let's go back to the party. I think they let out a group of altarias. They're dragon-types!"

"I lost! Lucky or not, I'd be in Castelia City watching the cruise leave if it'd been an official battle! And don't speak to me of those fluffy birds that only dream of being dragons. Let go! _Solvo brachium meum_!"

Drakon pushed Ely away. She took a step back, but still held on to his arm. She knew better than to stand too close when he was angry. And when he spoke Latin, space was the only cure.

The elevator door opened with a ding and Drakon stepped out the second it did. Ely followed, struggling to keep up. A few people lingered in the hall, those that weren't at the Ceremony. They murmured and stared at them as they passed. Ely felt their eyes on her.

"Fine," she said, the tail of her flower-filled, yellow dress trailing behind her. "At least talk to me about it. Drakon!"

Drakon stopped and turned abruptly. He clenched her wrist. Ely felt more eyes watching her. She guessed Drakon did, too, since he loosened his grip.

"I told you to leave, Ely," he whispered. He took a key out of his pocket and slid it in a thin crevice in his room's door. A green light flashed and he threw the door open.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said, voice low and smooth. "Forget him, Drakon. You'll beat Aiden next time."

Something seemed to snap inside Drakon. He stopped a step inside his room, causing Ely to nearly bump into him, and turned. His face was wrinkled in anger and his eyes turned red once again. For a second he looked dangerous, and in that moment, Ely feared her boyfriend.

"Next time, Ely? Next time, I'll destroy him!"

He slammed the door in her face and the impact sent out a gust of wind that lifted her light blond hair. She thought of knocking and demanding him to open, but she knew people were staring.

Elysia collected her dress, lifted her chin and made her way back to the elevator. She ignored the faces that followed her down the hall. When she got to the elevator, she thought of going up to her room, but then she remembered the altarias and how dazzling they looked flying around deck. She hit the button with the arrow pointing down, waited for the elevator to arrive and entered when it did. As the doors closed, a voice called out for her to wait. Thinking it was Drakon, she hastily pressed the button that opened the door.

A pokemon entered the elevator, instead of a person, as Ely expected. It had red and yellow fur, with a human body and a rodent-like face. It stood in the doorway, holding the door for someone. Ely looked down the hall, and saw a girl running toward her. An auburn-haired trainer, with gray eyes and a black skirt that Ely thought was a little too short, sprinted into the elevator.

"Thank you, er, Elysia," the trainer said, looking at Ely's contestant name tag and smiling. Then she smiled at the pokemon. "And you, Mienfoo."

The pokemon stepped off the doorway and the door slid closed. It smiled as it stood between Ely and its trainer.

"Don't mention it," Ely said, faking a smile. She had hoped Drakon would've been the one to chase after her. She noticed the trainer's name tag and realized that she, too, was a contestant, not just a guest. It read Kara Ryder. "Um, Kara."

Ely stared at the elevator door, but noticed Kara staring at her, and felt insecure for a second. She pushed her hair back, behind her ear, hoping it would make her look prettier. Kara squinted her eyes at her.

"I've seen you before," Kara said, at last. "You were next to that Dragon-type trainer earlier, when he was chosen. Your boyfriend, I take it?"

Ely nodded. "You saw the battle?"

"The TV in my room was broadcasting it. I guess they'll show every tournament battle there. He did fight really well, though. Sorry he lost."

_Drakon's not going to like that_, Ely thought. Probably everyone on the ship saw the battle_. They must think he's weak. Well, he's not. He'll come back, better and stronger. _Ely gave a chuckle. _Now I'm beginning to think like him._

The elevator stopped and opened with a ding. Music filled Ely's ears and the lively deck came into view. Hoppips floated and decorated the sky above the cruise. Ely noticed the trainer that had beaten Drakon in the center of a crowd of people. He was celebrating his victory, surrounded by people and pokemon. That should've been Drakon, celebrating with her, Ely thought.

"Well, see you," Kara interrupted her thoughts. She gave Ely another smile as she left the elevator. Her pokemon followed close behind. Then Ely felt alone. Drakon was gone, and she didn't know anyone else on the cruise. Maybe she should've went back to her room, she thought.

"Wait!" she called out to Kara. The trainer had already mixed into the crowd and was nowhere to be seen. Ely felt silly. Then Kara stepped out, gray eyes staring at her like an owl.

"Yes?"

"Um, er," Ely stuttered. She gulped. "Well, you see, I, um, my boyfriend isn't here, and I don't really know anyone else. I was thinking, maybe I could accompany you. At least for a while. To not pass the Opening Ceremony, um, alone."

Kara gave her a confused look, raising one eyebrow. Ely felt embarrassed. Then the smile returned to Kara's face and Ely felt at ease again.

"Sure," she said. "I think I saw a few altarias earlier, with dancing roselias on their backs! Want to go see them?"

"Yeah, I'd really love to."

Ely and Kara made their way through the crowd. They passed through the place where that Aiden was and Ely kept staring at him, studying him. Something about him disgusted her. Celebrating after the dirty way he fought . . .

"Going to have to watch out for him, won't we?" Kara said, glancing at Aiden as she leaded Ely between cheering people. Her voice suddenly turned icy cold. "He's a threat. But he's not the only one, right?"

Ely nodded, though she didn't know who she was talking about. At least someone else shared her dislike of the Fire-type trainer.

And for the rest of the Opening Ceremony, Elysia and Kara stayed together. They admired the pokemon, danced when they turned the battlefield into a stage, talked and laughed. Ely even let her Shinx out when Kara asked her what pokemon she had. The two, accompanied by their pokemon, went to the railings and watched the sun set in the horizon, altarias flying with swablus and hoppips while mantines and finneons swam below. Ely felt happy, since she had a friend. But Drakon kept weaving his way into her mind, and she couldn't help worrying about him, and the threats…

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**All six main characters have been presented! You can expect more from them as the story progresses. I know this chapter was short, but don't worry, the next ones will be longer. ****So, looks like some contestants aren't happy with Aiden's victory. What consequences might that have? Who is this Kara? Is she actually all smiles and happiness all the time, or have we not seen anything of her yet? Stay tuned to find out!**

**If you find any other mistake I might have made, please tell me in a review. They're always welcome!**


	4. Chasing Lovebirds

Chapter 4: Chasing Lovebirds

Umbriel Nox

Umber stared at his watch as he walked toward the elevators. It was nearly seven o'clock, and he had to get ready for a date.

The Opening Ceremony was still blasting behind him, but people had already begun to leave. It had been a great party, especially when Cynthia and Iris joined in. They gave out autographs and tips to trainers, and even wished Umber luck when he went to see them. It was all great and fun, but he had a date with a pretty girl. That should be a thousand times better, he thought.

Umber entered the elevator and looked at his watch, again. When he looked up, Aiden was standing in front of him, a large smile on his face. His hoodie was covered in cotton-like feathers and his magby was still dancing in the hood, clearly ignoring the bruises it had received.

"Umber!" he shouted, arms wide open. "Where have you been? Can you believe it? I won! I'm headed to the Leader's Suite now. Come with me!"

Aiden pressed the button that took them to the thirteenth floor before Umber could tell him not to. He didn't think he would've, however. Something told him Aiden might have a thing for Ambrosia, the girl he was going to see soon. Umber just stayed silent as the elevator rose. He put his hands in his pocket, fingering the pokeball that held Poochyena.

"Everything alright?" Aiden said, giving Umber a curious look. "You're not one to be quiet. Especially during a party!"

"Yeah, just tired." Umber lied. He began to think of a way to leave Aiden and get to his room. He wanted to change for his date, and he had no idea where his room really was. Sarah, the receptionist, hadn't told him earlier. Anger boiled in him, adding to the anger he felt toward Aiden for leaving him alone when he had won.

The elevator dinged open. Aiden stepped out. Umber thought of just closing the door and leaving, but guilt fell over him. He followed Aiden through the hall. To his right, "headquarters" could be seen. Umber leaned over to look down, and saw Sarah with her swablu, thirteen floors down.

Eventually, they reached a large door with a pink dragonair painted on it. In the center, a sign read '**LEADER'S SUITE**' in golden letters. Aiden opened it in a quick slide of a golden key.

"Regine gave it to me," Aiden beamed and Magby smiled at Umber. "Now, let's see this 'Leader's Suite.'"

Inside, the door faced a wall that parted in two directions. To the left was the bathroom, a room nearly the size of normal guest rooms. To the right Umber could see a large couch and guessed that that was the suite. He couldn't help but look, and what he saw was a large room that divided into more rooms, each with couches covered with pillows and fluffed chairs. But what really caught his attention was the glass wall that led to the balcony. It was round and had a spectacular view of the ocean. The last traces of the sunset could be seen above the horizon. A little flame of envy lit inside Umber.

"Hah! Can you believe this, Umber?" Aiden said, putting Magby on the ground. The little Fire-type disappeared into one of the rooms. "Look at the view!" He jumped onto a couch and lifted a pillow. "Oh, Umber, you've got to feel this. It feels like altaria wings! I can't imagine the bed."

Aiden ran toward one of the rooms, searching for the bed. Umber heard the sound of someone jumping on a bed and Aiden shouting. He stared at his watch once again and decided it was time to leave.

"Hey, Aiden," he called out, looking at the plasma screen TV in one of the rooms. "I think I'm going to go search for my room. See you… tomorrow, I guess."

Aiden popped his head out of the room immediately. "I'll go with you. Magby, no fire! Come, we're leaving. Yeah, let me change real quick and I'll help you look."

Panic entered Umber, and before he knew it, he had said, "No."

"No?" Aiden said, squinting his eyes. Magby entered the room and put its arms on its hips. "Why not?"

"I mean, er, you should stay here. If you come with me, um, you might break curfew, you know? Making your way back here and all."

"I don't think we'll be out _that_ long. But fine. If you don't want me with you…"

Again, Umber felt guilt. He feigned a smile and nudged Aiden. He was his best friend, after all. "Tell you what," he said. "I'll go to my room, unpack, and when I'm done, I'll come get you and we can both go back to the Ceremony until curfew. Maybe they'll extend it, just for tonight."

Aiden just stared at Umber. He felt him looking right through him. Then he saw Aiden's face soften and he chuckled.

"You better hurry, then," Aiden said with a laugh. "I'll be waiting." He turned and threw himself on a couch. "Here, in my suite!"

Umber just faked a laugh as he left. Once he closed the door behind him, he looked down at his watch. Twenty minutes had passed, and now he only had forty. He walked – more like sprinted – down the hall to the elevators. Music had been turned on in "headquarters" and more swablus seemed to fly around. What room was he in? What number had Sarah said? He tried to remember, but he couldn't.

A few minutes later, Umber found himself heading toward the reception desk. He had to ask Sarah what his room number was, even if it meant swallowing his pride. Immediately, a swablu landed on the desk between Umber and Sarah. It gazed at him with small, black eyes, ready to attack.

"Want me to get the altarias?" Sarah mocked with a smile as she arranged her glasses. She looked stunning, even in her red uniform. She clearly prepared herself for this day, Umber noticed. "What can I help you with, Umber?"

"I _really_ need to know where my room is," he said, without hiding the 'pleading' in his voice. He fought with the music. "I'm going to be late for something if I don't find it! Help me, please."

"A 'please,' and all. Umbriel Nox, you are desperate." Umber let out a chuckle. "Fine, I'll help you. 10-14, on the eleventh floor. Swablu will take you."

The little bird stared at its trainer with an angered expression. It chirped loudly. Sarah shushed it and it flew off, heading high up to the upper floors.

"10-14. Eleventh floor," Umber repeated, memorizing it. He stepped away from the desk and ran back to the elevator. "Got it. I owe you, Sarah."

"Yeah, well, I'll remember that!" Umber heard her shout as the elevator door closed.

When they opened again on the eleventh floor, a swablu hovered in front of him before taking off and disappearing between halls. Umber followed. As he turned and went deeper into the hall, he caught glimpses of the small cloud flying away. Then he saw it, on the floor, stretching its wings and singing in front of a door. Room 10-14!

He wanted to kiss the bird, but he just opened the door and entered his room. "I owe you, too!" he told Swablu as he closed the door. His room was much less extravagant than Aiden's. It had one large bed, a normal-sized bathroom, a desk with a chair, a small TV hanging from the ceiling, and a balcony where three people couldn't fit. The flame of envy returned.

Putting those thoughts aside, he went to his suitcase, which was put on the bed by the cruise's staff, and took out more suitable clothes. He took Poochyena's pokeball out. In a flash of red light, the small pup landed on the bed, glaring disapprovingly at Umber.

"Don't look at me that way," he told the pup. She looked away indignantly. "You're the one who's getting food. I'll make it up to you at the restaurant, I promise."

Poochyena had been angry with Umber for making him go up to Ambrosia and bark at her just so he could go talk to her. It was a deceptive trick, he admitted. However, all's fair in love and war. Or, in this case, tournaments.

Umber changed into a gray, long-sleeved t-shirt and put on jeans that were a darker shade of blue. He put on his violet, gengar-shaped earphones, given to him by Morty, the Ecruteak City Gym Leader, himself. He went to the mirror and combed his dark, black hair, searching for the hairstyle that made him look more handsome. Eventually he settled for a pulled-back look that accentuated the best features his face had: his sky-blue eyes and his sharp eyebrows.

By eight o'clock Umber was waiting in "headquarters." He hoped that Ambrosia would meet him there, since he never actually told him which restaurant they were going to. He sat with Poochyena in a small waiting area filled with cushioned seats.

"Looking good, Umber," Sarah shouted from behind her desk, giving a little giggle.

Umber just smiled and waited nervously for Ambrosia to arrive. Poochyena ran around the large room, chasing swablus. Music played and people and pokemon alike passed him as they waited. They waited five minutes. Then ten. Then fifteen. Then twenty…

Umber noticed Sarah trying not to look at him. Anger and embarrassment washed over him. He grabbed Poochyena and stood, deciding to head back to his room and forget about Ambrosia and Aiden and the Type Trainer Tournament and everything. He began to walk away, when suddenly a smooth voice called out to him.

He looked back. Behind him, Cubone at her side, wearing a white, one-sleeve dress that fell to her knees, was Ambrosia. And over her shoulders, in the distance, walking down the central stairs above the reception desk, was Aiden.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Uh-oh! I don't think Aiden will like having secrets kept from him, especially about this. Will Umber get caught? What will Aiden do? Is this the beginning of a new love between Umber and Ambrosia? Is this the end of Umber and Aiden's relationship? Find out next chapter when we learn a little more about the characters!**

**So, I'm thinking of adding a little behind-the-scenes paragraph at the end of every chapter, after the author's note. It's going to be called behind-the-chapter and it will give a little insight into the making-of of each chapter or give a little story on the creation of a character or an idea. It's completely optional to read and isn't essential to the story because it's just for fun. I'll begin on this chapter and see if you all like it.**

**Behind-the-chapter:**

**Well, there's no behind-the-chapter in the first three chapters so I'll only say two things about them: chapters 1, 2 and 3 were written on my phone (notes) before being put onto word. I thought about posting them here, but it wasn't until I reached the fifth chapter (next one) that I really _had_ to.**

**This chapter was the first one to not be written on my phone, I think. Well, on the pink dragonair, I thought of putting a dragonite on the Leader's Suite door, but decided a shiny dragonair would be better. Also, Sarah wasn't planned on appearing anywhere other than the first chapter, but somehow she just screamed, demanding to appear and now I have a few things in store for her. Chasing Lovebirds is the title because of the few 'chasings' seen, other than the obvious swablu scene. Yes, Umber knows Morty, but that will be discussed on another chapter! **

**If you liked the behind-the-chapter concept, or thought it was boring or too much information, let me now in a review! See you all next time!**


	5. Personal Date

Chapter 5: Personal Date

Ambrosia Landlyn

"Sorry I'm late," Ambrosia said, embarrassed. She looked at Umber, noticing how simple he dressed for the occasion, while she wore a dress. A dress!_ Maybe a little too much for this date_, she thought. "I hope I'm dressed right. Maybe I should go change."

Umber ignored her and jumped down to the floor behind a couch. His poochyena yelped as it jumped with him. Both began to crawl away. She looked down at Cubone and he just shrugged at her_. Maybe he's angry because I'm late_, she thought. Truth is, she had been considering whether to come or not. Apparently, she had made the wrong decision.

"What are you doing?" she finally managed to say. He coiled himself into a ball and peeped out an eyeball. He wasn't looking at her, however. Ambrosia glanced around the main floor. Many guests and competitors filled the room. She searched for what Umber could've been looking at. Then she looked at the elevators and her eyes met the eyes of Aiden, the trainer that had won the battle earlier. His magby glared at her as the elevator door closed.

"I am so sorry," Umber said, picking himself off the ground. He dusted his jeans off and walked up to her. Poochyena tackled Cubone, together they ran around, playfully. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," again, he made her blush. "Why'd you run - er, crawl - away?"

Umber hesitated. "Forget it. Come on, let's see if the restaurant is as good as the signs say it is." Umber lifted an elbow and she held on to it. Pokemon running around behind them, they made their way up the stairs. Ambrosia noticed the receptionist staring and giggling at them.

Umber took her up a few floors. Poochyena ran up the stairs before them, but Ambrosia had to carry Cubone. Eventually they reached a restaurant on the fourth floor. Above them, a sign read "**STRIATON DELICACIES**" with paintings of a pansage, a panpour and a pansear jumping off the bright letters.

The restaurant was divided into three sections, each defined by their color. The left side had green walls, seats and tables. Pansages accompanied the waiters and could be seen occasionally swinging on vines bringing drinks and utensils to the tables. In the middle, the room turned completely blue. A small waterfall was placed there and Ambrosia saw panpours splashing in the water. The right side, naturally, was red. It was the largest size, due to a playground placed between tables. There were red jungle gyms, a red seesaw and a red swing, all placed over a sandbox with sand painted red. Poochyena and Cubone picked the side for them and raced to the playground, happily joining the pansears stationed there.

"I've always wanted to eat at the Striaton Gym," Umber told Ambrosia, taking her to a table where the pokemon were visible. They were there for them, after all, she thought. "Guess this is the next best thing."

"It's amazing," Ambrosia said, studying the room in awe. The mixture of pokemon, the decorations, and the smell of sweets delighted her. "I love it. You picked the perfect place. Just look how happy Cubone looks. Poochyena, too!"

The two pokemon were playing on the seesaw, giggling every time one of them hit the ground. Cubone, in particular, chuckled loudly. Ambrosia couldn't remember the last time he laughed that much. She looked back at Umber. He was smiling at her with a large grin. She wanted to ask him why, but then she noticed the earphones and a thought occurred to her: Was he actually listening to her?

"What will it be?" A waitress with a simisear by her side appeared. She flipped open a small notepad, took a pen out of her black hair and chewed on its end, nervously. "I recommend the Pansage-Leaf Salad and the house special: the Triple Flavored Steak." The simisear nodded approvingly. The pokemon wore an apron and had its arms behind its back.

Umber pointed at a poster placed near the entrance. It had a photo of a juicy-looking hamburger, made of many layers of ham, cheese, lettuce, and other foods Ambrosia didn't know. "I'll have that," he said.

"Ah, the Pansear-seared Burger!" the waitress said enthustiastically as she scribbled in her notepad. "Excellent choice." She turned toward Ambrosia. "What about you?"

Ambrosia wasn't sure what to choose, so she went with the Pansage-Leaf Salad. The waitress told them that both plates came with complimentary pokemon food (Oran Cookies and an array of poffins) and left, leaving them alone. Minutes of awkward silence passed.

"I don't know if you can hear me," she said, curiously. "But why do you wear earphones all the time?"

"Oh, yeah, I can hear you. I can hear everything, really. I just wear them because—"

Out of nowhere, the simisear leaped onto the table, placing down two bowls of poffins and Oran Cookies. It jumped away just in time to dodge the two charging pokemon that followed. Cubone and Poochyena attacked the bowls furiously. When they were empty, both disappeared to the playground once more.

"My turn to ask you a question," Umber said, his blue eyes shining. Ambrosia prepared herself for a personal question. "Why Ground-types?"

_That's it?_ She thought. She gazed at her pokemon. "That's easy. Because of Cubone. He's been with me for years. Someone had abandoned him at the Pokemon Tower, in Lavender Town where I live, so I took him, promising to never leave him like his previous trainer had. I just couldn't come here and leave him behind. I just couldn't."

Umber just smiled at Ambrosia, eyes studying her. She felt weird with him staring at her so she just asked him another question. "Why Dark-types? They're strange and… well… dark…"

"Misunderstood," Umber retorted. He pointed toward Poochyena, who was in a tug-of-war with Cubone, using his bone as the rope. "Does that look dark to you? My uncle Grimsley gave me an egg when I was younger, and she came out."

The name sounded familiar to Ambrosia. She tried to remember where she had heard it before. Then the name clicked. "Grimsley? Of the Unova Elite Four? He's your uncle?" she said with a tinge of distaste in her voice. Grimsley was known for his horrible gambling, and the fact that his family fell into ruin, losing all their money. Could Umber's family have fallen into ruin, too?

"Yeah, on my father's side," he said calmly, clearly familiar with the reaction. "Well, when he gave me the egg, he told me that Dark-types aren't all that they appear to be and that they are to be respected. Since that day I've wanted to be like him. But better. I vowed to be the first trainer to make a Dark-type gym, and here I am."

Ambrosia felt torn between wishing him luck and hoping he would lose terribly. No words came to her tongue so she just looked away, avoiding his glare_. Where was the food? A distraction would be really helpful right now, _she thought_._

"Well, I answered two questions," he said, shifting slightly in his seat. "Now I get to ask you two."

Ambrosia kept watching her pokemon, trying to hide her worried face. Revealing personal information always made her want to run away.

"What's your story? Why are you here?" Umber leaned in over the table, his voice nearly a whisper. "A harmless and sweet girl like yourself is hard to find in a tournament like this one. There has got to be a reason. Come on, tell me."

"Um… The money," she said, knowing how shallow it made her appear. At least it wasn't a lie, though it wasn't the complete truth.

Umber eyed her suspiciously. She averted her eyes, her hands fidgeting slightly.

"You're lying." He said, a half-smile forming on his face.

"No, I'm not. Really, I came here for the—"

"One yummy Pansage-Leaf Salad!" the waitress interrupted, lying a bowl of salad the brightest hue of green Ambrosia had ever seen. The bowl shook as she placed it. Then, trembling even more, she placed a plate with Umber's hamburger on it. "And a steaming Pansear-seared Burger." The plate nearly fell before she placed it, wobbling slightly to one side. "Sorry, sorry! It's my first day and the bosses are watching."

She looked over her shoulder. Ambrosia and Umber both followed her sight. Staring back at them were three pokemon: a simisage, a simipour and the simisear that had accompanied her earlier. The three, wearing stained aprons, leaped away to their respective sides when they noticed the three looking at them. The waitress sighed heavily and laughed before leaving them with a final "Enjoy!"

Ambrosia and Umber ate their meals in silence, speaking only occasionally to make small comments. They watched their pokemon playing, and, by ten minutes before curfew, they had said goodbye and were already on their way back to their rooms. It might not have been the best date, but Cubone's smile made up for it. Ambrosia hugged her Ground-type as she carried him back to her room, contemplating the errors of making friends during a tournament.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Looks like we still have a few hidden secrets. Is that all of Ambrosia's reason for competing? A Gym Leader does get a big amount of money. What of Umber's story? Could he, too, be hiding secrets? And what of his always-present earphones? Well, guys, now the fun begins. The next chapters are very battle-heavy, trust me. Now the true tournament will begin and contestants will begin to lose and leave. Will our six make it? Stay tuned to find out! Oh, and we have a debut-viewpoint next chapter. Who do you hope it will be?**

**Behind-the-Chapter:**

**Who wouldn't like to eat at the Striaton Gym? I had fun naming the food, especially the Pansear-seared Burger. The idea of the three elemental monkeys being the bosses came to me after I had finished the chapter, so I had to go back and rewrite it. Grimsley always seemed to me like a character shrouded in mystery. He does have a past, yet the games hardly gives us any information. So, he made his way into my story!**

**Review, please! Until next time, guys.**


	6. Who Will Sink?

Chapter 6: Who Will Sink?

Kara Ryder

The morning sun fell on trainer and pokemon as they trained on their balcony. It was small and they barely fit, but Kara had taken the table and two chairs placed on her balcony and put them inside. Though they were cramped, the view of the sunrise energized them and, besides, a few punches and kicks didn't need that much space when they came from a small pokemon anyway.

"Good one," Kara said, ducking to dodge a punch. Beads of sweat covered both faces. "A few more kicks." Mienfoo jumped and kicked into Kara's palms. "At this rate, you'll evolve in no time! More punches!"

While Mienfoo jabbed at her, she noticed a light suddenly begin to flash from inside the room. Kara paused to look, nearly receiving a hit to the face. The Fighting-type stopped just in time, and joined his trainer as she watched the light blink on and off. The cruise's symbol, a dragonair swimming around a Pokeball, flashed in the center of her TV. Both trainer and pokemon went to find out what it was.

They went inside and took a seat on the bed, in front of the TV. Kara pressed a button on the remote and the symbol disappeared. Uruvio Tornio took its place, violet hair now painted a dark blue. Behind him, a gardevoir waved at the camera.

"Good morning, contestants!" he said, showing his sparkling white teeth. "Hope you all enjoyed the Opening Ceremony, but now the tournament has begun! Today you take your first step toward becoming Gym Leaders! Battle schedules shall be posted on your TV after this message ends. Don't be late; failure to show up is an automatic disqualification. Ah, also, every time the symbol you just saw appears on the screen, be prepared for an official message. Now, without further ado, here are your schedules."

Both Uruvio and Gardevoir tilted their heads to a side and waved goodbye with big grins on their faces. Then the screen turned dark. The cruise's symbol flashed for a second, only to be replaced by a long list of names paired together. Kara searched for hers, and near the middle she found:

Kara Ryder (Fighting) vs. Benjamin Rein (Water). 9:00 AM. Main Deck. Field 2.

"Water-type trainer, huh?" She scoffed. "Sounds easy. We'll probably be fighting a fish out of water." She nudged her pokemon, who sniggered happily, then looked at the time. She had about two hours left, so they decided to practice a few more punches and wash up before heading out for breakfast.

* * *

After a quick elevator trip, Kara and Mienfoo stood before a restaurant called "Never Sunkern." It was a wide room covered in tables and seats with walls filled with windows. The few parts that weren't windows had waves painted on them. Every contestant had been invited to this restaurant for a breakfast buffet. It only had a handful of people, however, since Kara decided it would be better to eat early to avoid the lines the main group of contestants would make.

She joined the short line and immediately the smell of berries entered her nose. She looked over the few heads in front of her and saw a true breakfast buffet: pancakes, bacon, cereals, fruits, sandwiches, juices, eggs, and an array of berries. Mienfoo stuck his head out of the line, nose raised before him.

"Don't worry," Kara told the pokemon and suddenly noticed the boy in front of her. "I'm sure they have Sitrus Berr—hey, you're the trainer who battled yesterday, right?"

The blond turned around to face her, revealing the Magby in his arms. Both grinned, happy to be recognized, Kara guessed. "Yeah, I am," he said, scratching the back of his head. Aiden wore a red hoodie with a Pokeball in the center and light-brown shorts. He was taller up close, for Kara at least. She had to look up to see him face-to-face.

"I liked your strategy. Smokescreen seems like a useful move to have," Kara said, forcing a smile. Truthfully, it was a good strategy. Showing it to every contestant on the ship, however, was a _stupid_ move. Now, everyone has their eyes on this trainer who has used up all of his tricks. _You just painted a target on your chest, Aiden,_ Kara wanted to say, but it suited her for him not to know. "Gave that Dragon-type trainer a run for his money."

"I guess I did, didn't I?" he chuckled. Kara faked a giggle as they began to move with the line.

Both trainers picked up trays from a bin and separated as they selected what to add to their breakfast from the buffet. Mienfoo took handfuls of Sitrus Berries and Kara picked a few fruits, a pancake and Oran Berry juice. As they seated, they spotted Aiden walking toward them.

"Have you seen the trainer?" he asked with a small amount of concern etched in his voice. Kara shook her head. "Oh, well, hope he doesn't hold a grudge or anything. See you, Kara Ryder."

He bowed his head slightly for a second before leaving. Kara watched as he walked away and took a seat on the other side of the restaurant. Hearing him say her name was strange, but then she remembered the name tag on her shirt. Rules say each contestant should wear them to recognize other contestants. It's a good way to see who's a threat and who isn't. Like when she noticed the Dragon-type trainer's girlfriend. But she was barely a threat, fighting with an inexperienced shinx won't get you anywhere.

A sudden squeaking sound distracted Kara from her thoughts. Mienfoo's ears twitched as he searched for the source. His eyes looked up and Kara followed his gaze. A chandelier that seemed to be made of glass and actual flowery vines loomed over them. On it, a dozen small, yellow, seed-shaped pokemon played, happily jumping from one branch of the chandelier to another. When Kara noticed the sprout growing from the pokemon's body, she knew what they were: Sunkern. Sunkern, the Seed Pokemon, are known for falling from the sky without warning, so she thought of moving, but right then one fell hard to the floor with a squeak. The others giggled at their friend's fall.

A trainer who looked to be eleven, five years younger than Kara, walked over the fallen pokemon, completely ignoring it. He wore a blue shirt with a rattata on it and had a red hat with a pokeball symbol on it. Beside him, an orange pokemon with a collar that resembled a flotation device around its neck glared at Kara and Mienfoo as they made their way toward them.

"You're Kara Ryder?" he said, standing before her table. His pokemon crossed his finned arms and eyed them. Kara stared back at both of them, a puzzled look on her face. "Don't know me? I'm Ben Rein and this is Buizel. We're your next opponents and the ones who will give you your ticket off this ship. Hope you've had fun because today you're going home."

Both gave a childish snigger. Ben stroke his brown hair with a smirk on his face before continuing his taunt. "Do you know why they named this place 'Never Sunkern'?"

Kara shook her head, biting her tongue. She stared at him with an innocent expression, but hid her hands, now two fists. Mienfoo seemed angry, too. He looked at them maliciously and stood up, facing the buizel, ready to strike at his trainer's command.

"Mad?" Ben laughed. "They named it that in hope of the ship never sinking. No cruise with a 'Never Sunkern' in it has ever sunk. It has floated merrily at sea for years and probably will for years to come, just like me and Buizel. Kara Ryder, get ready to sink."

_A threat?_ Kara thought. A wide grin formed on her face, the beginnings of a laugh. "I wouldn't consider you a boat, more like a fish. And out of water, I see. Only dead fish float, Benjamin. After our battle you'll be floating merrily at sea while I win this tournament."

Kara gave him a smile as she continued to eat. Both Benjamin and Buizel stormed away, growling loudly as they did so. _See you at nine, Ben_, Kara thought_. Let's see who sinks_.

* * *

The Main Deck had been cleared of all tables to make space for five battlefields. At their sides, platforms had been raised for guests to watch the battles. Kara quickly found Field 2 and the second she saw it, worry washed over her. It was the same field used in the Opening Ceremony, but it had been opened to reveal a pool. In the center, it had a pokeball-shaped island, and a few smaller pillars were scattered around. Looks like he won't be out of water, after all.

"You don't need an ocean to sink!" Ben shouted from his side of the field. Buizel laughed at his side.

"Kara Ryder and Benjamin Rein report to Field 2," Uruvio Tornio had taken a seat beneath the large screen and spoke through a microphone. "For today's battles, Gym Leader Falkner from Violet City, Johto, and Crasher Wake from the Pastoria City Gym in Sinnoh have flown in to judge."

A handsome, blue-haired trainer and a large, muscular and bald wrestler seated with Uruvio. They waved at the crowd as they listened to their cheers. Falkner pushed his hair back with an elegant movement and Crasher Wake flexed his muscles.

"Well, I see we're all here, so let's begin," Uruvio continued. "Trainers, send out your pokemon." Mienfoo and Buizel both leaped from pillar to pillar as they reached the pokeball. Uruvio introduced them, and changed from announcer to commentator. The only thing Kara listened to him say was, "Official battle between Kara Ryder and Benjamin Rein may commence."

"Doubleslap, Mienfoo!"

"Dodge and dive, Buizel!"

The two pokemon appeared to dance as they obeyed their trainer's orders. Every slap Mienfoo let out was dodged before the Water-type retreated and swam away. It resurfaced near its trainer.

"Now use Water Gun," A stream of water shot out of Buizel's mouth. Mienfoo, not needing his trainer's orders, jumped out of the way. "Follow him with your Water Gun!"

The stream rose with Mienfoo and lowered as he landed. Kara watched as he ducked and jumped away from the attack, uncertain of what to do. All his attacks needed him to be near his opponent.

"Mienfoo, get closer!" Kara ordered, and Mienfoo obeyed. He dodged the stream as he leaped around it.

"Use Swift, before he gets too close." Ben said, surely not letting his guard down. Buizel hopped onto a pillar and, with a spin of his two tails, sent stars flying toward Mienfoo. The stars followed the Fighting-type as it attempted to dodge, but struck his back. He fell into the water with a splash.

"Mienfoo!" Kara cried. "Swim out of there!"

The pokemon resurfaced and began to swim toward the pokeball. As he swam, Ben ordered an "Aqua Jet!" and the Buizel dived back into the water. A whirlpool formed around the pokemon as it swam at top speed toward Mienfoo. The Fighting-type was halfway when the attack hit. It propelled him forward with a cry. Kara bit her lips as she watched. Mienfoo, thanks to the push given by Buizel, reached the pokeball and slumped onto it, coughing and puffing.

"Now, Quick Attack, Buizel!"

The Water-type swam even faster than earlier as it made its way toward the island. Mienfoo rose slowly and Kara saw her chance.

"Mienfoo, hold on!" Kara shouted. She turned her sweaty hands into fists. "Use Drain Punch when he reaches you!"

And just as Buizel leaped out of the water, Mienfoo punched him with a fist covered in green energy. He was thrown back by the strength of the punch and crashed against a pillar, splashing into the water, afterward. Kara saw as Mienfoo stood straight and she hid a smile.

"Buizel!" Ben screamed as the pokemon swam back up. "Another Aqua Jet! Finish this! Sink them!"

Again, the pokemon swam toward Mienfoo. A shroud of water covered him.

"Meditate, Mienfoo!" Kara ordered. Her pokemon calmly sat down, closed his eyes and began to meditate. A white aura suddenly surrounded him.

Buizel jumped out of the pool in a jet of water flying toward his opponent. Kara heard Ben laugh before giving her order. "Force Palm."

In a second, as Buizel fell on him, Mienfoo snapped out of his focus and caught the Water-type in his paw. His arm was pulled back, but before his opponent could escape, he shot a green blast from his paw. Buizel was sent flying out of the pool toward Ben, who caught him and fell hard onto his back. The battle was over, and Benjamin Rein had sunk.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**The battling has begun! Finally, you got to see the inside of Kara's head. Not all smiles and friendship, huh? Will anyone else we know sink? Who's next on the chopping block? What about Aiden and his guilt for Drakon? What _about_ Drakon? We haven't seen him for a while! Find out next chapter!**

**Behind-the-chapter:**

**I came up with 'Never Sunkern' while I was looking for a Grass-type pokemon name to give the restaurant. I read SUNKern and it seemed funny, so I thought of adding it for a funny scene between Kara and Aiden. But then Ben came and the idea of sinking and fishes out of water appeared, so I had to use it for the threat scene. I'm a fan of chapters that end in good quotes (don't know if you've noticed) and this one I think is the best one I've written up to here. It was going to be related to being a fish out of water, but "Benjamin Rein had sunk" fit the moment perfectly. Also, this chapter happens to be my favorite so far. **

**Well, I'll post soon! Review if you like/dislike/have a comment for/have a suggestion for/or anything else about the story, really. Always appreciated, bye!**


	7. Revealing Emotions

Chapter 7: Revealing Emotions

Aiden Flamel

Magby tugged on the drawstring of Aiden's red hoodie as his trainer watched the ending of the first battle of the day. The winner, a girl named Kara Ryder, defeated a boy named Benjamin Rein in the last thirty seconds of the battle. Despite the field favoring Benjamin and his Water-type, Kara was able to win in just two hits. When he met her, he had no idea she was that strong.

All though she fought well, Uruvio gave her a nine, Crasher Wake gave her a seven and Falkner gave her a five. Apparently, the Flying-type Gym Leader believed she had won on sheer luck. It might have been true, her mienfoo was looking pretty beat for a moment, but the surprise victory deserved at least a ten. Aiden couldn't believe the score when he saw it. Though, coming from Falkner, it didn't seem all that surprising. A total score of 21 was good, but not enough to get you the Leader's Suite.

Uruvio dismissed Kara and she left, a grin on her face and sparkles in her gray eyes. Once she left, Uruvio stood and faced the crowd. "Well, trainers, now you know never to let your guard down," he said with a chuckle. "Next battle will be between Fictus Berwyn and Umbriel Nox. Both trainers must be present in Field 1 in fifteen minutes. Thank you."

Field 1 was located beside Field 2, so Uruvio asked the crowd to move if they wanted a better view. Aiden picked Magby up and stood, but before he moved, he noticed Drakon Volans sitting at the bottom of the bleachers with his pokemon beside him, still bruised and burned from the battle with Magby. Aiden thought that that was odd and cruel since there was a Pokemon Center on the third floor of the cruise. Putting the thought aside, he walked toward the white-haired trainer.

"Um, hey," he said, extending a hand. Drakon ignored him, not even looking at his hand. His bagon, on the other hand, growled and bared his teeth at both of them. Aiden retrieved his hand before Bagon bit it off, and scratched the back of his blond head. "Er, well, I just wanted to say that… um… you battled really well. At least they let you stay, so…. No hard feelings, right?"

Drakon raised one eyebrow as he stared at Aiden with a blue eye. At first he thought Drakon was going to spit at him, but he only hissed. It took Aiden a while to realize he was speaking another language. The only words he could make out were: "_Bene audiunt, puer. Draco: Magister Ignis_."

Drakon got up and walked away, his pokemon following close behind, leaving Aiden confused and Magby wanting to battle right then and there. The Fire-type nearly jumped out of his trainer's arms, and he would have done it if Aiden hadn't held him tight.

Aiden decided that, yes, there were hard feelings. He moved to the seats around Field 1 and sat far away from the Dragon-type trainer. From where he sat he had a complete view of both sides of the battlefield. This one was closed, simply a dirt field with a few fake rocks here and there. Luckily for Umber, this field favored none, unlike Kara's pool field.

"I wonder where Umber is," Aiden told Magby. The pokemon gave him a disapproving stare, clearly not forgiving Umber for leaving them waiting for him. Last night he had told them that he would go to his room quickly and come back to take them to the Opening Ceremony. However, he never came. Aiden searched for him, but he didn't know which room was his, so he decided to go to the Opening Ceremony without him. "Wouldn't want him to… to…."

Something – more like someone – caught Aiden's attention. Sitting on the bleachers opposite the one Aiden sat on, was Ambrosia, brown hair glowing beneath the sun. Aiden began to comb his hair with his hands. He hoped that this time, if she saw him, he would actually look good, or at least _normal_.

"Five minutes for Fictus Berwyn and Umbriel Nox to arrive at Field 1." Uruvio announced.

A short, chubby trainer stood on one side of the field. He had red hair and the beginning of a beard on his face, despite not looking much older than Aiden. Once Uruvio saw him, he immediately jumped onto the scene.

"You must be Fictus Berwyn, am I right?" he said. The boy nodded with a smile. "Well, as we wait for your opponent to arrive, let's have a chat. Tell me, Fictus, what type do you use and where do you come from?"

"I use Normal-types. I have my trusty Teddi with me today," he said in a high-pitched, almost childish voice as he sent out his pokemon. A red light shot out of his pokeball, and from it, a small brown bear cub with a crescent moon on its head appeared. The teddiursa clung shyly to Fictus's leg. "We came all the way from Blackthorn City in Johto."

"And why are you here today, Fictus?"

"My father. I want to show him that I can make it…." He said, voice trailing away.

"I'm sure you will. Well, best of luck to you." Uruvio returned to his seat, counting the last minutes for the battle to begin. Aiden worried for Umber, but he couldn't get Fictus's motivation out of his mind. He, too, was here because of his father.

Umber appeared from a crowd of people and ran toward his side of the battlefield. For some reason, his normally tidy black hair was messy and he only had one earplug plugged in. "Ready! I'm here!" he shouted, releasing Poochyena from her pokeball. The pup growled at her Normal-type opponent as she appeared.

"Good, both contestants have arrived. On our left we have the Normal-type trainer Fictus Berwyn and his Teddiursa. On our right we have the Dark-type trainer Umbriel Nox, joining us with his Poochyena. Let the battle begin."

Teddiursa staggered as it walked on the field, stumbling before it reached its destination. The crowd gave an "awww!" as it stood back up. Poochyena, however, stared at it with a tilted head. She was wondering exactly the same thing as Aiden: what was this thing doing battling in a tournament? Probably in respect to the pokemon, or in fear of having the crowd angry at him, Umber waited for it to get ready before making a move.

"Ok, Poochyena, Bite." He ordered, pointing a finger at the Normal-type when it finally stood straight. Poochyena sprinted forward in the direction of the teddiursa. The cub's eyes shot open in fear and it attempted to run back to its trainer. Before he could make it, a set of teeth had chomped onto its ear.

The audience held back an "awww!" when they heard the pokemon yelp. Aiden had to admit they both looked cute, but this was not the time for cuteness.

"Teddi!" Fictus cried. "Faint Attack! Get it off you!"

Teddi, though nearly in tears from the pain, slammed Poochyena with its body. Though not doing much damage, the hit released the bite. Poochyena shook it off and snarled. Teddiursa just shivered in fear.

"Use Assurance, Poochyena." Umber said, a hint of reluctance in his voice. Aiden guessed that he, too, felt pity for the little pokemon. Why would you enter a tournament with an inexperienced pokemon? You'd have to be inexplicably stupid or cruel.

The whole crowd watched as the pup charged toward the cub, slamming it with the force of its small body. The Normal-type was lifted off of the ground and landed a few feet away with a thud and a cry.

"Get up, Teddi!" Fictus shouted. Despite his situation, he didn't look worried. He crossed his arms and smiled at the scene. "Now, use Fake Tears!"

Teddiursa stood up, perfectly balanced, with a smirk on its face. Then it sat down, crossed its arms and began to wail. Tears began to pour out of its eyes, soaking the field around it. Even Aiden felt the temptation to stop the battle and cradle the poor cub in his arms. Poochyena gave a whimper and stared at Teddi with the eyes of, well, a puppy.

Fictus beamed. "Fury Swipes!" he ordered, and before Poochyena knew it, the Normal-type was clawing her body with sharp claws. She yelped in shock, not having expected to feel claws digging into her skin. Teddi sniggered maliciously with every swipe. The crowd gasped, noticing the turn of events.

"Poochyena!" Umber shouted, eyes locked on his pokemon. Aiden could see the sweat on Umber's forehead and knew he was worried. Of course, just like everyone else watching the battle, he hadn't known the weakness of the pokemon was all just an act. "Run out of there!"

Teddiursa scratched away, not giving the pup a chance to escape. Aiden stood up. The fear of Umber losing and leaving him alone so early made him too nervous to sit still. Then a sudden movement from the other side of the field caught his attention. Ambrosia, too, had stood up.

"Keep it up!" Fictus was practically laughing.

The cub kept sniggering and scratching. It didn't seem to even be tiring. Umber furrowed his brow and put his hands to his ears, pressing the earphones deeper into his head. Aiden knew what he was doing, he had seen him concentrating enough times before.

"Bite, Poochyena!"

As another paw took its turn to scratch the Dark-type, Poochyena quickly sunk her teeth into the cub's foot. It yelped, but didn't stop scratching.

"Use Scary Face to make it stop!" Umber commanded. Foot still tight in its mouth, Poochyena glared at Teddi with red eyes and fangs exposed. The cub froze in fear. "Good! Now use Assurance!"

Again, Poochyena slammed its body against Teddiursa's. The attack sent the pokemon flying back farther than the last time. It was a technique Aiden had seen Umber use before. Assurance was a move that hit harder if the opponent had been hurt recently, so, since Poochyena still had had a grip on Teddi, the hit was very effective. The second the cub hit the ground, it fainted.

Right then Uruvio announced, "Teddiursa is unable to battle. The winner is Umbriel Nox!" The whole crowd erupted in cheers. Aiden shouted especially loud for his best friend. Once they settled, and Fictus had stormed away, the judges gave their scores. Uruvio gave a nine, Crasher Wake an eight, and Falkner a six. The Flying-type leader said it was because he let cuteness affect his battling. Summed up, he ended with a twenty-two, one point more than Kara.

Aiden ran down the bleachers once judging was finished. He wanted to congratulate his friend, but when he got there, Umber was gone. He looked around, confused, then he saw him in a crowd heading toward the elevators. Aiden followed, but the crowd blocked him.

"Umber! Umber, wait!" he shouted as he saw him enter the elevator. Aiden tried to push the people aside to get there before the doors closed. Before they did, he noticed Ambrosia talking to Umber. He kept pushing ahead, then paused when he saw them hug.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Uh-oh! Wasn't kept secret for long, was it? How will Aiden react? Well, we have a very angry dragon! PLEASE DON'T LOOK FOR THE LATIN TRANSLATION YET! IT'LL BE EXPLAINED IN ANOTHER CHAPTER! For those of you who couldn't resist, the translation is a bit rough, so it might not make sense yet. So, who will battle next? Stay tuned to find out!**

**Behind-the-chapter:**

**Fictus was going to be a really nice, childish boy named Robb, but when I gave Teddi the move Fake Tears, the idea struck. To not leave you guys completely in the dark with the Latin words, "_Bene audiunt, puer." _means"Listen well, boy." Oh, and Falkner always seemed like a strict Gym Leader to me. Crasher Wake, on the other hands, seems a bit more carefree and fun. **

**Review, guys! The sake of Poochyena's cuteness depends on it! **


	8. Love and Battles

Chapter 8: Love and Battles

Elysia Heart

Elysia sighed as she watched yet another battle on the television set in the Main Floor. Her shinx curled into a ball in her lap, purring as it fell asleep. She stroked its hard fur, wanting to fall asleep herself, but she wouldn't dare miss the battles. When she woke up, after receiving her schedule, she began watching the battles and noticed that the tournament has been favoring certain trainers. Examples are Kara Ryder, who fought against a Water-type trainer in a pool, and Aiden Flamel, who was recently set against a Flying-type trainer to block his Smokescreen strategy. Both had won, but it still unsettled Elysia.

She nudged Shinx. The Electric-type yawned and gave her a puzzled look, gold eyes drooping and groggy. "You have to be awake for the battle," Ely said, rubbing behind its blue ears. "They're getting harder. Maybe they'll put us against a Ground-type, or put us in an ice-filled field, like that Bug-type trainer we saw earlier."

She put Shinx on the ground and stood with a stretch. Shinx also stretched its back, releasing a little spark. Together, they headed to the elevators with no real destination in mind. As she made her way there, she decided to go find Drakon. He would probably still be in his room, she thought.

She walked into the elevator and, once she saw the doors close, she noticed she hadn't pressed the button to open it. Then she realized there was another person in with her, a handsome, muscular, sandy-haired boy with a small pokemon on his shoulder. The boy had been holding the door for her, and she hardly even acknowledged him.

"Thank you!" she shouted, a bit louder than she had intended.

The boy gave her a soft smile. The pokemon on his shoulder, a baby-like creature that appeared to be wearing a white dress that was too long for its small body with a green helmet just as big on its head, all characteristics that told Ely that it was a ralts, stared at her and Shinx. It had to lift its head to look from beneath its 'helmet'. "Anything for a pretty girl." He said with a firm, yet soothing, voice.

Ely blushed. "Thank you." She whispered, looking away.

"So, what floor are you headed to, Elysia Heart?"

She hadn't pressed the button to open the elevator, nor the button for her floor. She looked at the buttons and noticed that floor 7 had been pressed already. To not have him notice her absentmindedness, she said, "The seventh," She then noticed his name tag and added, "Ceiro Hearth." The name sounded familiar to her. Maybe they had met before…

Ceiro nodded with a blank stare in his eyes. The ralts suddenly burst into a loud giggle, leaning on its trainer's head for balance. The laugh was contagious, and soon Shinx, Ely and Ceiro were laughing. The two trainers' eyes met. Ely felt something drawing her toward him. For a second she wanted to know more about, laugh and just be with, this Ceiro guy.

Then the elevator opened with a _ding_. Neither moved, both paralyzed in a mutual stare. Shouts broke the silence, and Ely looked away. She noticed that the seventh floor was the Main Deck, where all the battles were being held.

"Well, um… see you." Ely said, forcing herself to walk away. Shinx followed behind her, still giggling at the ralts.

"Promise?" Ceiro said before she could leave the elevator. She looked back at him. His green eyes seemed to glitter in anticipation as he waited for a response. Elysia grinned, momentarily filled with an inexplicable happiness.

"I promise."

Again, Ralts giggled. It hid behind Ceiro's hair. With another giggle, and the promise fresh in their minds, they went their separate ways.

Ely immediately entered the crowd, thinking that she might as well watch a battle. Field 4 was the battlefield being used, and two pokemon clashed in a forest-like arena with fake trees and tall grass. One of the pokemon, a purple snake known as Ekans, slithered between the trees, hiding in the grass as its opponent, a small, brown pokemon with a face concealed by a bone mask, wacked the grass in search of it. Ely didn't know what species the brown pokemon was, but she had seen a few Ekans in Pokemon Labs, since they're not common in Sinnoh.

As she made her way towards the bleachers, she spotted Drakon, Bagon at his side. His face had the same emotionless, concentration-filled stare as always, which told Ely he wasn't angry. If he was, everyone would know by now. Ely walked up to him and sat beside him, on the opposite side of Bagon. Shinx sat with Ely, but farther away from the two dragons.

Neither spoke a word. They didn't even look at each other, but Ely thought she spotted his eyes follow her as she sat. To get him to notice her, she sat thigh-to-thigh with him and clapped very fast when the battle called for cheers. Drakon barely nudged. Bagon, however, leered at her.

After a few shouts and throwing her hair around, pretending the wind blew it, Drakon put his hand on his thigh and gave a heavy sigh. Ely guessed he was annoyed, but she saw her chance. She quickly swooped her hand down and held onto his. At first he didn't react, but then he slowly closed his fingers around her hand.

Elysia knew, right then, that all between them was forgiven and forgotten. _Besides,_ she thought. _The discussion was meaningless and of no real importance. After all I've done for him, he should be kissing my feet. My father paid for his Tournament Ticket because of me, after all. That deserves a Girlfriend-of-the-Year award, in my opinion. _

"Smart thinking on Larkspur's side," Uruvio's voice snapped Ely out of her thoughts. Her happiness, though very present, faded away a little. Since Drakon still didn't truly acknowledge her, she decided to pay attention to the battles instead. "Will Ambrosia and her cubone be able to get out of this one?"

'Cubone', or whatever the bone-masked pokemon was called, was holding its bone with both hands while Ekans bit into it, trying to reach its opponent. The snake's mouth snapped viciously and for a second Ely thought the bone would break in half.

"Cubone, use Bonemerang!" A dark-skinned trainer with brown hair yelled the orders at her pokemon. The brown pokemon lifted its bone and threw it. Ekans, attached to the bone by its teeth, was sent flying in the air with the bone. "Headbutt when it returns, Cubone!"

"Get off, Ekans! Now!" Larkspur, the trainer of the Ekans, was furious. His slim body seemed to shake as he shouted his commands.

Ekans, unable to detach itself, stayed on the bone, which circled one of the fake trees and made its way back to Cubone. As it came, Cubone lowered its head and charged toward the bone and the snake. Bone hit bone and flesh, and in a flash of purple light, Ekans was thrown against a tree and fell into the grass. Cubone held its bone, adjusting its bone-helmet as it waited for another attack. Nothing came.

"Ekans is unable to battle! Ambrosia Landlyn is the winner!"

Cubone ran up to its trainer, who hugged the brown pokemon strongly. Larkspur, however, simply returned his pokemon and walked away, shouting curses and foul words.

"Oh, my word," Uruvio said, trying to drown out Larkspur's shouts. "Maybe a little soup will clean that mouth! Moving on… Now, judges, judge! Afterwards, we have about ten minutes for our next battle."

Elysia knew that she was to battle next. Her schedule said that she would be battling at 4 o'clock, ten minutes from then. Still holding on to Drakon's hand, she picked Shinx up and put it on her lap. The Electric-type began to shine dimly, a sign that danger was near.

Ely, also sensing the dangers of the upcoming battle, let go of Drakon's hand in fear of him feeling her sweat. She dried them off on her bright blue dress and tried to think of other things to occupy her mind. She tried to think of Drakon and memories of them at the Sunyshore City beach back at her home, but Ceiro Hearth was the only thing that came into her mind. For a second she felt a shiver lower her spine and knew that if she were a Shinx, she'd be glowing. As quickly as the feeling came, it went, and the happiness she felt when Ceiro smiled at her added with the one caused by Drakon.

So, her mind was in bliss, free from worry as the ten minutes passed.

When Uruvio called her name, Elysia stood and walked up to her side, not really paying attention to the announcements. She felt invincible, undefeatable. Shinx growled as it entered the field, the same forest as earlier. Then, her opponent made his way to his side and her heart dropped. Shinx's growls ceased, changing into confused whimpers. Looking handsome, despite his hurt face, with a weeping ralts on his shoulder, was Ceiro Hearth.

She knew the name sounded familiar, but had been too blind to realize it. She had read it in her schedule and had forgotten. The expression on Ceiro's face told her that he wasn't expecting this, either. He lowered Ralts off his shoulder and the small Psychic-type made his way into the field, tears visible beneath its 'helmet.'

"Let the battle begin!"

No movement except the grass swaying in the wind could be seen in the field. Again, the two trainers were paralyzed as they looked into each other's eyes. Ely broke the stare, once more, and looked at Drakon, whom stared back at her. His emotionless eyes calmed the emotions inside her. Clenching her fists, she proceeded.

"Shinx, use Spark!"

The Electric-type looked back at its trainer before jolting forward in a cloak of blue electricity. Ceiro and Ralts did nothing as Shinx rammed into its opponent. Ralts was knocked down and skidded a few feet back. It rose slowly, soaking the grass with a few teardrops.

Ely couldn't allow mercy or feelings to get in the way, not in front of Drakon. "Again, Shinx."

Shinx's body became enveloped in blue light once more and it charged forward. This time, however, Ceiro reacted. "Teleport, Ralts!" he said in his strong, soothing voice. As Shinx reached the Psychic-type, it vanished, only to appear a few feet away amid trees. "Use Magical Leaf!"

Ralts raised his arms, and from his hands glowing, green leaves flew out. Before Elysia could even warn her pokemon, it was struck by the attack. It yelped as it braced the hit.

"Ralts, stop," Ceiro commanded hastily. Then he seemed to realize what he had said. Ely saw him furrow his brow and clench his teeth. "Use Double Team!"

Out of nowhere a dozen Ralts filled the field, all as small and teary as the original. Shinx looked in every direction, confused by the sudden multiplication of its enemy. Some hid behind trees while others blended with the grass, making it even more difficult for the pokemon.

"Patience, Shinx," Ely said, more to herself than to her pokemon. She observed every copy, looking for something that would tell her which was the real one. She would have to wait and see which one would attack. "Use Charge!"

Shinx took its eyes off of its opponents and looked down. Sparks began to crackle around it as it gathered electricity.

"Ralts, Confusion." Ceiro ordered, voice quite. One Ralts on Shinx's right moved forward.

"Spark, Shinx!"

As Ralts unleashed his attack, Shinx was covered with two lights, a bright blue one from its own overpowered attack and a pink one from Ralts's Confusion. Both attacks mixed, but the Psychic-type attack was no match for the fully-charged Shinx. The Electric-type fought against the attack, but was able to reach Ralts and hit it hard.

As the Psychic-type hit the ground with a heartbreaking cry, all the copies vanished. Elysia hoped the pokemon wouldn't get up. She had had enough of abusing an innocent pokemon and wished Ceiro understood.

Instead, the ralts stood, streams of tears falling down its face. Its body was covered in bruises. Ely released a heavy sigh. She couldn't look at Ceiro, so she looked at Drakon for support. He was nodding in approval, and mouthed a word at her. At first she didn't understand, but then she guessed what it was. 'Bite.'

Yes, Shinx knew Bite, but Ely just couldn't use it. She told herself she wouldn't allow feelings to get in the way, and yet…

"Ralts!" Ceiro cried. The Psychic-type ran toward Shinx and, before Ely could react, it hugged the pup. The crowd gasped.

"An emotional battle today, folks," Uruvio announced. "How will it end?"

Shinx looked as shocked as Ely. Both prayed for the end and Ely couldn't but wonder what Ceiro was thinking.

"Ralts!" he panted. "Use Confusion!"

The pokemon looked back at its trainer, as if not wanting to attack. But Ely had already given her command. "Use Bite, Shinx!"

Without hesitation, Shinx bit into the weeping pokemon. It immediately gave a cry, and Shinx let go. The Psychic-type, crying loudly, fell onto one knee before collapsing completely. Ceiro ran into the field, heading directly toward his pokemon. He took the defeated Ralts in his hands and stared at Elysia with watery eyes.

Ely felt terrible. No words formed in her mouth, so she just spit out, "I'm sorry."

Ceiro gave her a half smile, green eyes shining as they had in the elevator. "Don't be. You kept your promise." He said, then turned around and left her life forever.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**You thought that was going somewhere else, weren't you? Emotions! Let's hope this is the last of love for at least a few chapters. We have one last battle to see and I believe it's one that we've been waiting for for a while. What will happen next? Review, guys!**

**Behind-the-Chapter:**

**The name 'Ceiro' means love! We got to see a little of Ely and Drakon's past in this chapter, but you haven't seen anything yet. We also had Ambrosia appear, though she was barely noticed. **


End file.
